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Notable events involving Triad include:

The history of HMS Triad as compiled on this page was created in February 2012 and is extracted from Triad's patrol reports and logbooks. Corrections and details regarding information from the enemy's side (for instance the composition of convoys attacked) is kindly provided by Mr. Platon Alexiades, a naval researcher from Canada.

This page was last updated in January 2024.

16 Aug 1939
Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted trials off Barrow-in-Furness. (1)

21 Aug 1939
Around 0100A/21, Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed her builders yard at Barrow-in-Furness for Gareloch where she arrived around 1615A/22. En-route various trials were carried out. (1)

23 Aug 1939
Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted diving trials in Gareloch. (1)

24 Aug 1939
Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted anchor trials in Gareloch. (1)

25 Aug 1939
Around 0730A/25, Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed Gareloch for trials in the Clyde area and subsequent passage back to Barrow-in-Furness where she arrived around 2215A/25. (1)

16 Sep 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) was taken over from her builder and commissioned in full.

Around 1300A/16, the submarine departed from her builders yard at Barrow for Portsmouth. She is escorted by HMS Shikari (Cdr. J.H. Lewis, RN). (2)

18 Sep 1939
Around 1015A/18, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) arrived at Portsmouth (Fort Blockhouse) to begin a period of work-up exercises. (2)

20 Sep 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted independent exercises off Portsmouth. (2)

21 Sep 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted independent exercises off Portsmouth. (2)

22 Sep 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted independent exercises off Portsmouth. (2)

23 Sep 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted independent exercises off Portsmouth. (2)

29 Sep 1939
Around 1045A/29, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Portsmouth for Portland, where she is to conduct torpedo trials. She arrived at Portland around 1515A/29. (2)

1 Oct 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Portland. (3)

2 Oct 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Portland. (3)

3 Oct 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Portland. (3)

5 Oct 1939
Around 0715A/5, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Portland for Portsmouth where she arrived around 1150A/5. (3)

8 Oct 1939
Around 0335A/8, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN), departed from Portsmouth for Dundee. She was escorted by HMS Tedworth (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) W.J. Stride, MBE, RN) until 1845A/8 when HMS Triad joined a northbound convoy [most likely FN 18]. (3)

10 Oct 1939
Around 1500A/10, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) arrived at Dundee. (3)

14 Oct 1939
Around 0315A/14, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Dundee for Rosyth where she arrived around 0930A/14.

Around 1705A/14, HMS Triad departed Rosyth for her 1st war patrol. She is to patrol off the South coast of Norway.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

18 Oct 1939
Around 1800A/18, when south-east of Lindesnes, in position 57°46'N, 07°20'E, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) sighted two enemy torpedo boats, thought to be of the Möwe-class to the north at a range of about 5 nautical miles. They were proceeding eastwards.

The ships sighted must have been the German destroyers Z 5 / Paul Jacobi and Z 6 / Theodor Riedel which were on patrol in the area inspecting neutral shipping. (5)

24 Oct 1939
Around 0220A/24, when south of Lister, in position 57°57.5'N, 06°27'E, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) a darkened ship bearing 335°. The contact was about 1.5 miles away steering 230°. It was tried to identify the contact but this was not completed by the time the ship turned towards and it was then thought to be a destroyer. A very clear bow wave could be seen as it was thought the ships speed was over 20 knots. HMS Triad dived at 0227A/24. She surfaced at 0346A/24 to find nothing in sight.

The ship sighted was most likely indeed a German destroyer as Z 3 / Max Schultz and Z 15 / Erich Steinbrinck were on patrol in the area inspecting neutral shipping. (6)

27 Oct 1939
Around 2345A/27, when west of Lister, in position 58°08'N, 06°15'E, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) sighted a darkened ship bearing 010° at a range of four miles. This was thought to be a neutral (Norwegian) torpedo boat or patrol vessel. HMS Triad dived to avoid being sighted in the moonlight. HMS Triad surfaced at 0014A/28 to find nothing in sight.

[No German ships were patrolling in the area at that moment and given the position of the contact it was indeed most likely Norwegian.] (4)

28 Oct 1939
Around 1900A/29, when west of Lister, in position 58°19'N 6°02'5'E, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) sighted a ship bearing 070° at a range of 4 miles. She was burning dim navigation lights and steering northwards. It is considered this may have been the same ship sighted last night. (4)

5 Nov 1939
Around 1100A/5, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

15 Nov 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) conducted exercises off Rosyth. (7)

18 Nov 1939
Around 2055A/18. HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South coast of Norway.

Earlier in the day HMS Triad had conducted exercises in the Firth of Forth.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

27 Nov 1939
At 0015A/27, in very heavy weather and rough seas, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN), while in position 58°45'N, 05°23'E (to the south of Stavanger), developed problems with her after hydroplanes. The result of these problems is that she was not under control. Repairs could not be made and after a few hours a signal was made to base requesting a tow and escort.

Around 1100A/27 three Hudson aircraft arrived on the scene and patrolled overhead.

Around 1500A/27 the destroyers HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, RN) and HMS Maori (Cdr. G.N. Brewer, RN) arrived on the scene.

Around 1615A/27 HMS Triad was taken in tow by HMS Inglefied, however around 1800A/27 the tow parted and efforts to resume towing failed. (4)

28 Nov 1939
Several attempts to connect a towline from HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, RN) to HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) were made but all failed due to the very heavy weather and rough seas.

Around 0900A/28, HMS Triad was ordered to proceed astern up wind. A speed of two knots could be maintained.

Around 0940A/28, Three Hudson aircraft arrived to provide air cover. (4)

29 Nov 1939
Around 0900A/29, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) was taken in tow by HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, RN) at a speed of 4 knots.

At 1140A/29, the Admiralty ordered the ships to proceed into Norwegian waters. HMS Triad was to effect repairs in neutral waters. (4)

30 Nov 1939
Around 0545A/30, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN), towed by HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, RN) and escorted by HMS Maori (Cdr. G.N. Brewer, RN) arrived in Norwegian waters in Mastrafjord.

Around 0730A/30, all ships anchored in Mastra Fjord. After talks with Norwegian officials permission was granted that Triad could make repairs to her after hydroplanes.

At 1636A/30, HMS Triad was taken in tow by a tug to Stavanger where she arrived at 2011 hours. (4)

1 Dec 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) is put on the slip, stern first, at Stavanger, Norway. As the slipway could not accommodate ships over 1000 tons, Triad is thus only partially out of the water. (4)

2 Dec 1939
Around 1315A/2, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) the submarine is visited by Rear-Admiral Diesen, C. in C. of the Royal Norwegian Navy who assures Lt. Cdr. Jonas that he has personally flown over the fjord to make sure that no German warships lurks in the vicinity. At 1422 hours the submarine is put back in the water. She departed for Rosyth immediately. (4)

4 Dec 1939
Around 0900A/4, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

5 Dec 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) is docked for repairs in the floating dock (AFD 3) at the Rosyth Dockyard. (8)

12 Dec 1939
With her repairs completed, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) is undocked. (8)

13 Dec 1939
Around 2110A/13, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 3rd war patrol. This is a short patrol in the North Sea.

For the daily position of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(8)

15 Dec 1939
Around 1800A/15, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Rosyth. (8)

16 Dec 1939
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Rosyth for convoy escort duties with convoy ON 5.

[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy ON 5 ' for 16 December 1939]. (4)

16 Dec 1939
For the daily positions of HMS Triad during the passage of convoys ON 5, HN 5 and short patrol between these two convoys see the map below.

16 Dec 1939

Convoy ON 5.

This convoy departed Methil on 16 December 1939 and arrived in Norwegian waters near Bergen on 19 December 1939.

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Amicus (British, 3660 GRT, built 1925), Carperby (British, 4890 GRT, built 1928), Clarissa Radcliffe (British, 5754 GRT, built 1915), Folda (British, 1165 GRT, built 1920), Glen Tilt (British, 871 GRT, built 1920), Grelrosa (British, 4574 GRT, built 1914), Hague (British, 974 GRT, built 1919), Majorca (British, 1126 GRT, built 1921) and Treworlas (British, 4692 GRT, built 1922).

On departure from Methil the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Afridi (Capt. G.H. Creswell, DSC, RN), HMS Maori (Cdr. G.N. Brewer, RN), HMS Nubian (Cdr. R.W. Ravenhill, RN) and the submarine HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN).

The destroyer HMS Mohawk (Cdr. J.W.M. Eaton, RN) was to have joined coming from the Tyne but due to reported enemy mining she was unable to do so and it appears she never joined the convoy before it was dispersed of Bergen on 19 December 1939.

As convoy HN 5 was delayed for 48 hours the destroyers proceeded to Sollom Voe, Shetland Islands, to refuel and then return. In the meantime HMS Triad would patrol off the Froysjoen Fjord.

21 Dec 1939

Convoy HN 5

This convoy was assembled in Norwegian waters near Bergen on 21 December 1939.

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Bisp (Norwegian, 1000 GRT, built 1889), Bore VI (Finnish, 1466 GRT, built 1919), Breda (Norwegian, 1260 GRT, built 1915)), Briarwood (British, 4019 GRT, built 1930), Cree (British, 4791 GRT, built 1920), Esbjorn (Finnish, 1905 GRT, built 1904), Gudrid (Norwegian, 1305 GRT, built 1922), Kai (Danish, 1746 GRT, built 1921), Katvaldis (British, 3163 GRT, built 1907), Leda (Finnish, 1283 GRT, built 1908), Mathilda (Swedish, 1264 GRT, built 1902), Panaghiotis (Greek, 3575 GRT, built 1901), Perrakis L. Cambanis (Greek, 3584 GRT, built 1910), Polar Chief (British, 8319 GRT, built 1897), Pollux (Finnish, 1284 GRT, built 1898), Pontfield (British (tanker), 8319 GRT, built 1940 [this was a new tanker built in Sweden enroute to the U.K. to be delivered]), Raimo-Ragnar (Finnish, 1972 GRT, built 1914), Regulus (Finnish, 1821 GRT, built 1921), Regulus (Estonian, 893 GRT, built 1902), Sollund (Norwegian, 941 GRT, built 1908), Svanholm (British, 1321 GRT, built 1922), Teano (British, 762 GRT, built 1925), Vestanvik (Swedish, 1213 GRT, built 1906), Vestra (British, 1141 GRT, built 1921), Viiu (Estonian, 1908 GRT, built 1917) and Warlaby (British, 4875 GRT, built 1927).

On assembly the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Afridi (Capt. G.H. Creswell, DSC, RN), HMS Maori (Cdr. G.N. Brewer, RN), HMS Mohawk (Cdr. J.W.M. Eaton, RN), HMS Nubian (Cdr. R.W. Ravenhill, RN) and the submarine HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN).

The destroyer HMS Escapade (Cdr. H.R. Graham, RN) joined later at sea.

Around 1830A/22, the convoy split into two sections. The main section continued onwards towards Methil escorted by HMS Afridi, HMS Maori, HMS Escapade and HMS Triad. The other section (6 merchant vessels) proceeded to the Clyde where it arrived also on the 24th. The west coast section was escorted by HMS Nubian and HMS Mohawk.

24 Dec 1939
Around 1800A/24, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) arrived at Rosyth from convoy escort duty. (4)

14 Jan 1940
Around 1400A/14, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South coast of Norway and in the Skagerrak / Kattegat.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

16 Jan 1940
At 0422A/16, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) arrived in her patrol area (Area C 1). (4)

20 Jan 1940
Around 1930A/20, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) received a signal from Capt. S.2, timed 1727A/20, ordering her to proceed to area C 5. Course was set accordingly. (4)

21 Jan 1940
Around 2345A/21, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) arrived in area C 5. (4)

25 Jan 1940
Around 1745A/25, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed area C 5 to return to Rosyth. (4)

28 Jan 1940
Around 1015A/28, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) ended her 4th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

11 Feb 1940
Around 1435A/11, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South coast of Norway. On board was a boarding party with the object to interfere with the traffic of iron ore ships between Norway and Germany.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

13 Feb 1940
Around 0030A/13, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) received a signal ordering her to proceed with despatch to the western half of area E 1. Course was set accordingly.

At 0821A/13, in position 56°47'N, 06°05'E, HMS Triad had to dive while still short of the area by what was thought to be a destroyer. The ship could however not be properly identified through the periscope due to a snowstorm. [No German destroyers or torpedo boats were however operating in the area though.] (4)

14 Feb 1940
Around 1936A/14, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) received a signal ordering her to proceed to an area to the north of area E 1. Course was set accordingly. (4)

16 Feb 1940
Around 1830A/16, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) received a signal ordering her to patrol to the south of the Jossingfjord. Course was set accordingly. (4)

23 Feb 1940
Around 2210A/23, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) received a signal ordering her to proceed to an area to the south-south-west of Egersund. Course was set accordingly. (4)

24 Feb 1940
Shortly before 1800A/24, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) surfaced after a days submerged patrol and set course to return to Rosyth. (4)

26 Feb 1940
Around 1215A/26, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) ended her 5th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

28 Feb 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is docked in the floating dock (AFD 3) at the Rosyth Dockyard. (9)

2 Mar 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is undocked. (10)

13 Mar 1940
Around 0030A/13, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 6th war patrol. She was part of operation R.3. She was to proceed to the west of Denmark and then wait for orders to enter the Baltic in a last ditch effort to help Finland. A few hours later Finland signs the armistice and operation R.3 is cancelled.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

17 Mar 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) proceeded to a new patrol area to west-north-west of her current patrol position. (4)

21 Mar 1940
In position 56°51'N, 04°25'E, in the central North Sea, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) stopped the Dutch merchant vessel Iris (905 GRT, built 1920). She was allowed to proceed. (4)

24 Mar 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed her patrol area for approximate position 57°20'N, 08°08'E (Skagerrak). (4)

25 Mar 1940
HMS Triad observed the German merchant ship Ostpreussen (3014 GRT, built 1920) being aground off Hirtshalls. She is in Danish territorial waters and there she was not attacked.

HMS Triad departed the area after dark for the Lister area off the south coast of Norway where she subsequently patrolled for a day after which she left patrol to return to Rosyth in the evening of the 26th. (4)

28 Mar 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) ended her 6th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

8 Apr 1940
Around 0920A/8, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Skagerrak.

For the daily and attack positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

11 Apr 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) torpedoed and damaged the German transport Ionia (3102 GRT, built 1922) in the Skagerrak south of the Oslofjord, Norway in position 58°30'N, 10°35'E. The damaged ship sank the next day after salvage attempts had failed.

0630A/11, Commenced attack on 4000 tons merchant vessel in position 58°55'N, 10°32'E. Two torpedoes were fired, the second torpedo hit the target. She sank around 0705A/11 after an attempt to take her in tow fails.

Triad was hunted by A/S trawlers (most likely from the 7th VP Flotilla) during the remainder of the day. Enemy A/S activity by aircraft and ships in this area would high for the entire time HMS Triad was there. (4)

12 Apr 1940
During the morning, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) was hunted by three A/S trawlers but she managed to escape from them.

Around 1700A/12, three German destroyers (identified as Type 1934) were seen leaving the Oslofjord and proceeding southwards. No attack was possible as they were out of range. An enemy report was sent by W/T. These were however not Type 1934 destroyers but three old torpedo boats from the Torpedo School Flotilla; T-107, T-108 and T-110 which left the Oslofjord for Frederikshavn around that time. (11)

13 Apr 1940
At 1250A/13, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is bombed by an aircraft while submerged at 50 feet. The sea is glassy calm but the submarine escapes damage (position is near 58°52'N, 10°20'E). This was the second time she was bombed from the air that day. In the morning, no time and position given, she had also been bombed without sustaining damage.

At 2200A/13, two destroyers were sighted passing astern. HMS Triad was in the path of the moon. No attack was possible as HMS Triad had no stern tube. As the destroyers appeared to be turning towards so HMS Triad dived but she was not attacked. (4)

14 Apr 1940
While still patrolling off the Oslo Fjord, an area that was still heavily patrolled by German A/S vessels and aircraft, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) attacks a convoy of two merchant vessels escorted by a destroyer.

Later HMS Triad attacked a destroyer with torpedoes. Both attacks however failed to produce hits on the targets.

The first attack was most likely on the convoy made up of the transports Urundi (5791 GRT, built 1920) and Utlandshörn (2642 GRT, built 1928) escorted at that time by six auxiliary minesweepers from the 11th M-Flotilla; M 1101, M 1102, M 1103, M 1104, M 1105 and M 1106. The convoy was en-route from Kiel to Oslo.

The destroyers sighted (and attacked) may have been the torpedo boats Jaguar and Falke en-route from Kristiansand to Frederickshavn.

1748A/14, in position 58°49'N, 10°45'E fired two torpedoes against two merchant vessels escorted by a destroyer. Range was very long, 12000 yards. No hits were obtained.

2130A/14, Surfaced.

2204A/14, Sighted a destroyer in position 58°44'N, 10°19'E. Fired two torpedoes. Range was 2 nautical miles. No hits were obtained.

2205A/14 - Dived. Another ship, though to be a cruiser passed overhead. (4)

15 Apr 1940
While charging the batteries on the surface HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is detected by an enemy surface vessel. Triad dived and was depth charged.

These events had most likely something to do with the sinking of the German gunnery training ship Brummer that was torpedoed and sunk by HMS Sterlet around that time also in this area. Brummer was escorted by the torpedo boats Falke, Jaguar and the sloop F 5.

2312A/15, in position 58°43'N, 09°50'E two flares were fired into the air about one nautical mile away. Triad dived and was subsequently depth charged. Eight charges were dropped, all were fairly close.

0047A/16, surfaced. (4)

18 Apr 1940
In the evening HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN), which had been patrolling off Arendal for a few days, set course to return to the area to the south of the Oslofjord. (4)

19 Apr 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) fires four torpedoes against a German convoy in the Skagerrak south of the Oslofjord in position 58°18'N, 10°49'E. All torpedoes fired however missed their target.

The targets were actually M 81/Nautilus escorting the transports Moltekefels (7862 GRT, built 1940), Hanau (5892 GRT, built 1921) and Porto Alegre (6105 GRT, built 1936) that were returning from the Oslofjord to Germany.

0445A19, sighted ' what was thought to be the German depot ship Tsingtao escorted by four A/S trawlers. Started attack.

0459A/19, in position 58°18'N, 10°49'E fired four torpedoes from 9000 yards. All missed. (4)

20 Apr 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) attacked a German convoy with six torpedoes. One or two hits were claimed.

This convoy was made up of transports Togo (5042 GRT, built 1938) and Pionier (3264 GRT, built 1934). They were escorted by the torpedo-boats Jaguar, Falke, escort vessels F-5, F-8 and five R-boats. No torpedo hits were obtained. Three torpedo track wwere seen by F-8 and it was this escort which dropped the depth charges.

0930A/20, sighted a convoy of three ships escorted by four destroyers and one MTB.

1008A/20, near position 58°14'N, 10°50'E fired six torpedoes from 2700 yards. Triad went deep upon firing. One or two hits were claimed.

1020A/20, depth charging started. They were quite close causing some minor damage. Triad retired to the South at slow speed. HE slowly faded away.

Triad had now expanded all torpedoes so after dark, on surfacing, course was set to return to Rosyth. (12)

23 Apr 1940
Around 0800A/23, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) ended her 7th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

23 Apr 1940
At 0145A/23, in position 56°32'N, 01°04'W, in very bright moonlight, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. G.M. Sladen, RN) sighed a submarine just clear of the moons path bearing 195° at a range of 4 nautical miles. This was thought to be HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) returning from patrol. The submarine was lost from sight at 0211A/23 and was still proceeding westwards.

[This must indeed have been HMS Triad, which arrived at Rosyth around 0800A/23, though she reported nothing.] (13)

6 May 1940
Around 1900A/6, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea to the North-West of the Dutch coast.

For the positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

9 May 1940
At 0047A/9, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) sighted a submarine on the surface in position 53°22'N, 03°36'E. This was thought to be the French submarine Calypso (Lieutenant de Vaisseau (= Lt.) J.M. Petit) but this was not the case.

In fact it was the German U-boat U-7 that also reported sighting a submarine at 0144B/9 in position 53°21N, 03°45'E. (14)

15 May 1940
Around 1206A/15, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) stops the Danish fishing trawler Siscator (33 GRT) in position 54°36'N, 04°00'E. (The Danish trawler was fishing from the Dutch port of IJmuiden). After inspection she was allowed to proceed. (4)

16 May 1940
Around 2200A/16, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) surfaced in position 54°42'N, 03°35'E after a days submerged patrol. Course was then set to return to Rosyth. (4)

18 May 1940
Shortly after 0730A/18, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) ended her 8th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

29 May 1940
Around 1800A/29, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea to the North-West of the Dutch coast.

For the daily positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

9 Jun 1940
HMS Taku (Lt.Cdr. V.J.H. Van der Byl, RN) and HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) were ordered into the Heligoland Bight to intercept the German battlecruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst in case they returned from operations off northern Norway to Germany.

The German battlecruisers however entered Trondheim. (10)

12 Jun 1940
Shortly before 0600A/12, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) ended her 9th war patrol at Rosyth. The patrol had been uneventful. (4)

15 Jun 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is docked in the floating dock (AFD 3) at the Rosyth Dockyard. (15)

19 Jun 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is undocked. (15)

25 Jun 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) conducted exercises off Rosyth. (15)

27 Jun 1940
Around 2000A/27, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 10th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the West coast of Norway, near Trondheim.

For the daily and attack positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

28 Jun 1940
At 0855A/28, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is bombed in position 57°24'N, 00°36'E by a biplane believed to have been a German Heinkel 59. HMS Triad fortunately escapes without damage. (4)

3 Jul 1940
At 2330A/3, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is bombed near position near 64°53'N, 07°59'E by a flying boat as the submarine is charging her batterie. Again HMS Triad suffers no damage. (4)

7 Jul 1940
At 1930 hours HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, RN) is bombed by a seaplane near position 65°15'N, 08°32'E and sustains slight damage to the CO2 cooling system, lamps and telephones. (4)

9 Jul 1940
HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) makes a torpedo attack on a so far unidentified vessel. The vessel had Swedish markings on her side but might have been a German Q-ship.

0525A/9, in position 65°29'N, 07°03'E fired two torpedoes at a vessel with Swedish markings on her side. The target was about the size of a large trawler. Range was 1000 yards. Both torpedoes were set to 4 feet and due to the heavy swell they may have been affected and missed. (4)

11 Jul 1940
At 0615A/11, HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) left patrol to return to Rosyth. (4)

13 Jul 1940
Around 0600A/13, HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) ended her 10th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

27 Jul 1940
At 2025A/27, HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 11th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the West coast of Norway, near Bergen.

For the positions of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below.

(4)

2 Aug 1940
At 2230A/22, HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) left patrol to return to Rosyth. She left patrol early as she is to leave home waters and join the Mediterranean Fleet. (4)

3 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) attacks the German U-Boat U-46 with gunfire. U-46 dived before hits were obtained.

2218A/3, dived near position 58°33'N, 01°23'E. Almost at once picked up loud diesel HE. Shortly afterwards sighted a type 7 U-boat 1000 yards away.

2230A/3, surfaced for gun action. Fired three rounds at a range of 3500 yards before the U-boat dived. The last shot was seen to fall close to the U-boat.

2235A/3, dived and manoeuvred to attack with torpedoed or to ram. Contact was however soon lost. (16)

4 Aug 1940
Around 1940A/4, HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) ended her 11th war patrol at Rosyth. (4)

8 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) proceeded from Rosyth to Dundee. She was escorted by HMS White Bear (Capt. R. Gill, RD, RNR).

9 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN) is docked in the eastern graving dock at Dundee for a short refit before she is to proceed to the Mediterranean. (17)

18 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) is undocked. (17)

23 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) proceeded from Dundee to Rosyth. At Rosyth she is immediately docked in AFD 3 at the Rosyth Dockyard. (17)

24 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) is undocked. (17)

28 Aug 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) conducted exercises off Rosyth. (17)

29 Aug 1940
Around 1900A/29, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) and HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) departed from Rosyth for Gibraltar. The submarines were escorted by HMS White Bear (Capt. R. Gill, RNR) until 1930/31 when HMS Arab (Lt. R.B. Stannard, RNR) took over escort duties until 0900/2. The submarines were escorted until 0900A/2, to the vicinity of the Scillies.

[As no log is available for this period it is not possible to display HMS Triad's daily positions (on a map).] (4)

6 Sep 1940
Around 1200A/6, HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (4)

11 Sep 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) departed from Gibraltar for her 12th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea to the South of 39°30'N.

[There is no patrol report or log available for this patrol. Details of this patrol are therefore not known.] (18)

2 Oct 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) ended her 12th war patrol at Malta. Most likely the patrol had been uneventful.

[There is no patrol report or log available for this patrol. Details of this patrol are therefore not known.] (19)

9 Oct 1940
HMS Triad (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Salt, RN) departed from Malta for her 13th war patrol.

Triad has been assigned an initial position of 38°36'N, 17°02'E and from there in a rectangle area of 30 x 40 nautical miles delimited approximately by:
(1) 38°24'N, 16°51'E,
(2) 38°48'N, 17°13'E,
(3) 38°25'N, 17°55'E,
(4) 38°01'N, 17°32'E.

Triad was due to arrive at Alexandria at sunset of 20 October 1940. Therefore she had to leave her patrol area late on 14 October.

For the patrol area of HMS Triad during this patrol see the map below. Also plotted on this map are two position of attacks by Italian submarines.

(20)

14 Oct 1940
0014 hours the Italian submarine Santorre di Santarosa(*) (Capitano di Corvetta Guido Coscia) which has sailed from Messina for a patrol off Crete, sights a submarine at short range, one torpedo is fired but misses. The enemy submarine replies with one torpedo which also misses the Italian submarine on the port side (position: 37°46'N, 17°35'E). This is about 15 miles outside HMS Triad's patrol area but it is not impossible that she was the submarine involved.

(*) To my knowledge, no one has ever made the connection of this attack with HMS Triad (Platon Alexiades).

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